This invention relates generally to restraining devices and in particular to human restraining devices permitting limited arm and hand movement.
When transporting violent prisoners or mental patients, it is necessary to restrain arm movement yet allow a certain amount of hand movement so that the person being restrained can attend to personal needs such as eating and elimination. Furthermore, in the event of an accident, particularly with respect to aircraft, is necessary to provide enough hand movement for the person to remove any objects, such as, seat belts, that might cause him to be trapped in the damaged aircraft.
One prior art device used a belt attached about the waist of the person on which loops were attached. A chain, whose ends were attached to the wrists of the person being restrained, passed through the loops on the belt and around the person's neck. Although the arms were held in a natural position, the hands could not be brought nearer to each other or used for personal needs.
Other restraining devices used a belt and handcuffs that were attached at a fixed point along the belt. Hand and arm movement was determined solely according to the length of the chain or straps connecting the handcuffs to the belt.
None of the prior art devices permitted limited arm movement to restrain violent moves while allowing extended movement of the hands for taking care of personal needs.